Improvement in washing-machines



- I 2 Sheets--Sheet1.

l. W. BICKER. Washing-Machines.

' Patented April 14, 1874.

Nq.l49,606.

UNITED STATES 1 PATENT QFFICE.

' JOHN w. RIOKER, on CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,606, dated April14, 1874,- application filed February 27, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN W. RICKER, ofChelsea, in the countyof Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain Improvements in WaShingMachineS, of which thefollowing' is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings making part of this specification, inwhich-- Figure l is a perspective view of a washingmachine having myimprovements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough the center of the same, illustrating my improved method ofsecuring it in place within a tub. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, details inperspective.

My present invention relates to an improvement in the construction ofwashin g-m achines, whereby the friction of the yielding bearing againstthe outside of the standard, when the main roller is raised at one endby the passage of clothes of considerable thickness, is avoided; and myinvention consists in a Standard provided with an inclined face, or withan inclined face-plate against which the yielding bearing is free toslide when raised with the main roller by the passage of clothesthereunder. My invention also. consists in a novel device for firmlysecuring the machine within the wash-tub.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention,I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A represents an ordinary circular wash-tub, insideof which, at points diametrically opposite to each other, are securedmetallic cleats or fastening-plates B O, for the reception of the endsof the base D of the washing-machine. The fasteningplate B is a simplesocket into which one end, 7, of the base D is entered, the plate 0serving as a rest for the opposite end 8, which is provided with a slot,a, to allow of its passage over a loop, I), through which, above thebase D, is passed a wedge or key, 0, by which means the machine is heldsecurely in place within the wash-tub, and all lateral and vertical playentirely avoided. The wedge c tapers on its upper surface and on oneside, and the interior of the loop b is inclined to correspondtherewith, by which construction the removal of the wedge isfacilitated. From the upper side of the base D rise two verticalstandards, E E, having slots d d, in which revolves the shaft G of themain roller H, the exterior surface of which is fluted or corrugated,and is intended to be revolved by hand, applied to a crank, I. Fourplain cylindrical rolls, 0, are situated below the main roller H, theserolls 6 having their bearings in the vertical standards E E. To theoutside of each standard is secured a slotted plate, K, of the formseen, the slot in the plate and that in the standard to which it isSecured being placed in line with each other. slot in each plate K isformed a projection, f, the outer face of which is inclined upward andinward, as shown. The bottom of each plate terminates in a curved orarc-shaped projection, h, provided with a flange, '5. Under thisarc-shaped projection, and over a circular grooved block, L, throughwhich the end of the shaft G projects, extends an elastic band, 1,bywhich construction a yielding bearing is formed for each end of theshaft to revolve in. The inner face of each block L is rounded off insuch manner that it comes in contact with the inclined faces of theprojections f of its plate K only near the shaft G,

and when one of the bearings is raised, by the passage of clothes ofconsiderable thickness under the main roller H, the bearing will notbind against the faces of the projections f, owing to their beinginclined or beveled, but will freely slide upward thereon, thus allowingthe machine to be easily operated, whereas if the surface against whichthe yielding hearing rests were perpendicular the friction of the parts,when wet, would increase as the end of the main roller was raised, so asto render it difficult to work the machine. Instead of a plate providedwith inclined faces, as described, the standard may be of suflicientthickness to allow its face to be beveled or inclined upward and inwardwithout departing from the spirit of my invention; but I prefer to usethe plate, as it has the additional advantage of effectually preventingthe splitting of the standard. The arc-shaped projection h affords anextended bearing surface for the elastic band I, and renders it muchless liable On each side of the to break than if it were held down by apin or'hook.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The slotted standard E, provided with an inclined face, incombination with the bearing L, shaft G, and. roller H, substantially asdescribed, for the purpose set forth.

2. The base D of a washing-machine pro vided with a slot; a, incombination with the fastening-plate O, with its loop 21 and wedge 0,and the socket B, all constructed and operating substantially as and forthe purpose described.

Witness my hand. this 18th day of Febru- P. E. TESOHEMAOHER, N. W.STEARNS.

